Strange Cargo Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Strange Cargo Blu-ray Movie Review

The head and the heart.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 27, 2026

Directed by the one and only Frank Borzage only a few months before the release of The Mortal Storm, 1940's Strange Cargo offers audiences a heavy-handed but decently enjoyable blend of prison break adventure, romance, and spiritual allegory that survives its preachier moments. Set largely in and around a French Guianese penal colony, the film follows a motley crew of desperate fugitives whose brutal struggle for freedom becomes a journey of personal transformation. It also doubles as the eighth and final pairing of screen legends Clark Gable and Joan Crawford, who previously worked together on a variety of MGM films such as Dance, Fools, Dance, Possessed, and Love on the Run.

André Verne (Gable) is an incorrigible prisoner determined to escape the oppressive French Guianese penal colony known as "Devil's Island". Fresh out of solitary confinement and pulling a work detail one day, he spies the lovely Julie (Crawford), a tough, cynical café worker who lives nearby. Verne manages to slip away from his guards and visit Julie in her cabin; she fears the consequences of helping a fugitive and wants to turn him in, but Verne is reported first by the conniving M'sieu Pig (Peter Lorre) and sent back to prison. As punishment for associating with a known fugitive, Julie is immediately expelled from the island but has no money for passage. Her misfortune leaves her vulnerable to Marfeu (Bernard Nedell), a cruel man who takes advantage of her desperate circumstances.

Meanwhile, Verne becomes involved in another escape scheme led by the violent Moll (Albert Dekker). Moll and several other prisoners -- including Hessler (Paul Lukas), Flaubert (J. Edward Bromberg), Telez (Eduardo Ciannelli), and Dufond (John Arledge) -- set out to flee the colony. Verne is initially excluded and, after secretly following them, is beaten and abandoned by Moll. His fortunes change when he encounters Cambreau (Ian Hunter), a mysterious new prisoner whose calm demeanor, uncanny knowledge, and ability to anticipate events set him apart from everyone else. Verne finds Julie in danger and rescues her during a short solo detour, and both of them eventually join the escape party and continue their journey through the jungle toward the coast. Their physical struggle is matched by the palpable influence of Cambreau, whose compassion and faith begin to affect even the most hardened members of the group.

Strange Cargo puts its main characters through the wringer, presenting their various journeys and encounters almost as a test of endurance. This tone is contrasted by the influence of Cambreau, who becomes increasingly central to the story with teachings about faith, forgiveness, and the presence of God within every person, which gradually awakens something in the fugitives that's been suppressed by years of imprisonment and violence. The attempted escape has now become more than a simple flight from physical captivity; it's now a symbolic journey of redemption.

I don't subscribe to the wishy-washy platitudes of Strange Cargo, as vaguely comforting as they are, but that doesn't mean it's still not a reasonably effective drama in its own right. The performances as as committed as they need to be and their linear journey will keep first-time viewers invested and seasoned fans entertained again, especially given the final joint pairing of Gable and Crawford which proves as durable as almost all others in their shared filmography. Franz Waxman's great original score also deserves special attention, as does the solid production design and especially the cinematography of Robert H. Planck, who won four well-deserved Oscars during his prolific career for Anchors Aweigh, The Three Musketeers, Little Women, and Lili. All are served well on this recent Blu-ray edition from Warner Archive, who give their usual high level of attention to this well-rounded disc that fans and first-timers will enjoy.

Strange Cargo Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As usual for one of MGM's countless Golden Age films whose original camera negative was lost in the 1978 George Eastman House fire, the source for Warner Archive's new 1080p transfer was a safety fine-grain master created by the studio during a massive archival undertaking during the 1960s and early 1970s. This source was scanned in 4K and treated to a round of the boutique label's proprietary manual cleanup process, resulting in a very good presentation that doesn't have the same sparkle and texture of a first-gen source but gets the job done. Fine detail is slightly soft but easily eclipses what was seen on previous home video releases, including Warner Archive's own 2017 DVD edition, with supportive black levels and faint but perceivable levels of film grain in ideal conditions. Disc encoding is very solid as well, with no perceivable compression-related artifacts visible and a high bit rate from start to finish.

Strange Cargo Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix follows suit with a restored presentation of its original mono audio, which as usual has been split evenly over a two-channel track for wider playback. Dialogue and sound effects are well-prioritized and there's plenty of room left over for Franz Waxman's original score, which provides an excellent if not slightly on-the-nose emotional backdrop. Only trace amounts of age-related wear-and-tear remain, namely in the form of occasional hiss which typically indicates a lack of noise reduction to preserve dynamic range.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, not the extras listed below.

Strange Cargo Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with vintage poster-themed artwork and a few era-specific extras.

• Gable and Crawford (13:44) - Originally included as part of WB's 2008 Joan Crawford Collection Volume 2 DVD set, this short retrospective piece offers a light overview of the stars' lives and joint projects with supportive photos and clips. It's nothing groundbreaking but well worth a watch for newcomers.

• Goin' Fishin (9:42) - This likeable 1940 Our Gang short comes from a fairly rough but watchable SD master and follows the kids on a long, difficult bus ride towards the East River.

• Home On the Range (8:03) - Another 1940 MGM short, this cute Rudolf Ising-directed cartoon looks to come from a video source, possibly DVD or even laserdisc, but is likewise worth a look.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:32) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Strange Cargo Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Frank Borzage's Strange Cargo is a spiritually-charged drama that means well, but its heavy-handed platitudes often get in the way of a more engaging and universal story about human redemption. That said, the lead performances by Clark Gable and Joan Crawford -- their final on-screen pairing -- carry a lot of weight and Borzage's direction is strong too, effectively buoying what might have otherwise been a forgettable film. Warner Archive's recent Blu-ray offers reliably good A/V support and a few interesting extras to enjoy. Recommended to the right crowd.